


Tug of War

by blue_pointer



Series: A Glorious Retelling [57]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Arguing, Canon Timeline, Don't copy to another site, Duelling, Episode: c01e069 Passed Through Fire, Fights, Jealousy, M/M, Minor Keyleth/Vax'ildan (Critical Role), POV Vax'ildan, Polyamory Negotiations, Rogue vs. Rogue, Romantic Comedy, Vax has self-esteem issues, Vaxmore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:01:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29300829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_pointer/pseuds/blue_pointer
Summary: Vax tries to climb into Gilmore’s bed only to find Jarett is already there.
Relationships: Shaun Gilmore/Jarett Howarth, Shaun Gilmore/Vax'ildan
Series: A Glorious Retelling [57]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975831
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	Tug of War

Vax walked with his sister and the others as they headed back to the castle to turn in for the night. They’d only really been awake for a few hours, but it wasn’t as if any of them had slept peacefully or well the night before, or didn’t need the rest after what they’d all been through. They reached the turn-off where the road to Gilmore’s house diverged from the main road leading to the castle, and Vax stopped. 

All this talk of Percy’s near-death experience, and how they all should write goodbye letters, just in case, was a bit much for even Vax’ildan’s morbid temperament. Maybe he wanted to feel safe for a little while, to pretend. 

When Keyleth looked up to see why he’d stopped, Vax asked her if she would mind taking Kynan to the barracks. Vax should have asked Jarett to take him along when he’d left, but he’d been distracted. “Sure.” She gave him that sad look that always made Vax feel horribly guilty for still loving Gilmore. Before his guilt could get the better of him, Vax turned and walked toward the mansion, disappearing into the night before any of the others could say anything.

Vax expected to find Gilmore in the drawing room, like usual. But he wasn’t there. So he checked the kitchen. No, it was just that cleric he’d seen the night Vax had stayed and looked after Gilmore. “He’s sleeping,” she told him. 

“I thought he couldn’t sleep,” Vax said. Why hadn’t Gilmore mentioned this earlier?

She shrugged. “He can now. As long as people don’t keep coming by to wake him up.” She gave him a disapproving look, and Vax backed away before harsher words were exchanged. 

As he walked up the stairs, Vax found pieces of light leather armor, a belt, a shirt... _What the hell?_ The trail of armor became a trail of clothes and led straight to Gilmore’s bedroom door. But these weren’t clothes that would have fit Gilmore, either by size or taste. 

Silently, Vax opened the door. And ducked, as a knife came flying right at his face, missing him by millimeters, but grazing his left ear. Vax could feel a trickle of blood dripping down his face. 

Under attack, Vax withdrew Whisper and flung it at Gilmore’s bed, letting the shadow magic pull him along behind the dagger’s trajectory. He jerked the blade out of the mattress, ready to do battle with whatever fiend had seen fit to occupy Gilmore’s bedroom. 

Instead, he came face to face with Jarett. “What the fuck are you doing here?” Vax whispered, noticing the softly snoring Gilmore sprawled across the bed between them. 

“What am I doing?” Jarett said. “I am doing my job, that ith what I am doing. Jutht what you athked me to do.” 

“I never asked you to climb into bed with him!” Vax hissed, noticing as his eyes adjusted to the darkness that Jarett was shirtless, the blanket wrapped around his waist. 

“Well...I felt it nethethary,” Jarett shot back. 

“Alright, well I’ll thank you to necessarily walk your happy arse right on out of here. I’m here now. You’re relieved.”

“Oh, thank goodneth,” Jarett said, slouching a bit. “I’m tho glad to be relieved.” And with that, he climbed back into bed next to Gilmore, and proceeded to get comfortable on the pillow. 

The balls on this guy! Vax stalked around to Jarett’s side of the bed and grabbed him by the ear, pulling. “Rise and shine, buttercup, it’s time to go back to your own bed.” 

But Jarett just swatted his hand away. “Pleathe, I’m very tired. Jutht let me thleep.” 

Vax briefly considered stabbing him a few times. No one had to know. Instead, he took a deep breath and grabbed Jarett by the arm. “Can I speak to you in the hall for a minute?” Not that Jarett had a choice at this point. Vax wasn’t strong, but he could still make Jarett’s life hell until he complied. 

“Ugh, fine!” Jarett groaned, sliding out of bed and standing up, stark nude. Vax tried not to look--but not that hard. Jarett’s body was...intimidating. 

“Er...follow me,” Vax whispered, leading the way back out of Gilmore's bedroom. Once they were out of hearing range, the door gently shut behind Jarett, Vax whirled around. “Can you please tell me what the fuck is going on here?” 

Jarett rubbed an eye with the heel of his palm, looking tired. “I already told you.” 

“Not that, dimwit! How long have you been sleeping with Gilmore?” 

Jarett paused, giving him a measured look. “I don’t think discretion allows me to answer that.” 

“Fuck discretion!” Vax spit. “You’re in there naked with the man I love! I deserve to know!” 

“Look, thith ith between the two of you,” Jarett said. “You and I should not be the oneth having thith converthation.” 

“Bullshit! I knew it. I knew it!” He turned away, mad as hell. “I fucking knew you were going to seduce him as soon as we asked you to keep an eye on Gilmore.”

“You are athuming I wath the one who theduthed _him_ ,” Jarett said. 

“Oh, fuck you!” Vax said, turning his head to glare at Jarett. “Rub it in my face, why don’t you? Yes, you’re bigger than me, stronger than me, more muscular than me, probably smarter than me…” 

“Ahhhh...thith doth not theem…” Jarett looked reluctant to comment. 

“Alright, fine!” Vax said, worked up. “You’re together now, fine! But I was first. That means you have to leave when I say.” 

“I did not agree to that,” Jarett said. 

“I’m telling you the terms now,” Vax said, pointing at the floor. “When I’m here, you leave.” 

“Shouldn’t Gilmore be the one to decide that?” 

“No. Because this is between the two of us. And we can settle this like men.” 

“You...want to duel.” 

Vax had still not given up his initial instinct to stab Jarett. A duel seemed almost too fair. “I’m not going to duel you over Gilmore.” That would mean there was a chance Vax could lose. “I just want you to agree to the terms of this...whatever it is.” 

“You are telling me terms. You are not negotiating,” Jarett pointed out. 

“I am, because he’s my boyfriend, and I’m the one sharing him with you, not the other way around!” Couldn’t Jarett see that? It was obvious. 

Jarett folded his arms across his bare chest. Vax’ildan’s eyes were drawn to his dark brown nipples, but he forced himself to make eye contact. “I think we should let Gilmore decide.” 

“What Gilmore wants has nothing to do with this!” Besides, Gilmore would choose Vax. Probably. Most likely. 

“You are not thinking clearly,” Jarett said, beginning to turn away. 

“Don’t you walk away! We’re not finished here.” 

“I am finished,” Jarett said, walking back toward Gilmore’s bedroom door. Wow. How could a butt be that muscular, yet still aesthetically pleasing? Anyway. Vax was not about to let him just stroll back into Gilmore’s bedroom. He flung Whisper at the door and Teleported there before Jarett arrived. “What is this witchcraft?” Jarett asked in confusion.

“This is me, cutting you off,” Vax said, opening the door and slipping inside before shutting it in Jarett’s face. “You’re cut off.” 

He heard a heavy sigh from the other side of the door. “My pants are inside.” 

_Fucking...fine._ Vax searched the floor around the bed until he found them. Then he walked back to the door and opened it just enough to thrust the pants out at Jarett. 

He took the pants from Vax, but then he grabbed a hold of Vax’ildan’s arm and pulled. “Ow!” 

“You are not being very civil,” Jarett said through the crack in the door. Vax did his best to break out of the grapple, but Jarett was too strong for him, his grip like steel. “Just let me in,” Jarett suggested.

“Fuck no!” Vax said. “Stop being a dick! Let me go! I gave you your pants.” 

“Let me in.” But Vax had his foot against the door so that it wouldn’t open any further. “At least let me tell him good bye.” 

“I’ll give him your regards,” Vax said. 

“Both of you, stop fighting and come to bed,” Gilmore said, sounding tired and irritated. 

Jarett looked vindicated, shoving the door hard enough that Vax was pushed back, stumbling. He walked past Vax and slid back into bed next to Gilmore as if nothing had happened. Well that just wasn’t going to work for Vax. He marched right over to Jarett’s side of the bed. 

“Get. Out!” he hissed. “You don’t belong here!” Had they planned this? Was this Gilmore’s way of getting back at Vax for focusing on Keyleth? 

“Vax’ildan, please!” Gilmore groaned. “Behave yourself. I’m so tired.” 

Vax just stood there, feeling utterly rejected. Was that how this was going to go? He left for a few days, and another man had taken his place in Gilmore’s bed? “But I...don’t want to leave,” he whined softly. 

“Stop being silly and come to bed,” Gilmore said, half-asleep, and Vax’ildan’s eyes went wide in the darkness. 

Come to bed? With Gilmore AND Jarett? No. No, he didn’t think he could do that. “I’ll only come to bed if he leaves,” Vax said, putting his foot down. 

Gilmore sighed. “No one is leaving. Just come to bed.” He held an arm out to Vax, the other being occupied with a certain drunken guardsman. 

Against his better judgment, Vax walked around the bed and turned his back to them before lying down. Then he scooted back until he could feel Gilmore, and did his best to pretend Jarett was not there. When Gilmore’s arm wrapped around his chest, he felt a little better. “Fine,” Vax grumped. “But I don’t have to like it.” 

Gilmore kissed the tip of his ear and Vax snuggled back against him. Part of him was hoping there would be more kisses where that came from, but after a few moments, he realized Gilmore had fallen back into an exhausted sleep. 

“I know you can hear me,” Vax said softly. “This isn’t over.” 

Gilmore reached down and swatted him on the behind, commanding, “Sleep.” Which took the wind out of Vax’s sails a bit. Spankings were all well and good when they were alone. 

He didn’t quite hear Jarett chuckling from the other side of the mattress, but there was a certain aura of smugness radiating from that direction. “Oh, shut up,” Vax snapped. 

“Shhhhh,” Gilmore said, wrapping his arms tightly around Vax, pulling him in close. Well, at least if Gilmore was holding him, it meant he couldn’t put an arm around Jarett. Vax tried to settle in, still feeling grumpy and annoyed. Apparently, he was tired, because he did sleep eventually.


End file.
